Men's Basketball Lends A Helping Hand

11/30/2013 11:14

7:30 a.m. on a freezing Thanksgiving morning found the Lane Community College men’s basketball team and coaching staff preparing food, organizing donated items and bringing good cheer as key volunteers at the Whiteaker Community Dinner event. For the last several years, head coach Bruce Chavka has made the annual volunteer event a key part of his team’s community outreach efforts. “We are trying to teach our student athletes about giving back – it’s fantastic to hear our returners talk about the event and how much it means to them” says Coach C. “For many of our players, this is a chance to really connect with our community and lets us all of us see how lucky we are.” he commented. The Whiteaker event provides a full holiday meal for hundreds of people, as well as an opportunity to receive donated clothing, blankets etc. The event also features events for kids and is a key gathering point for the Eugene community. Retired Lane teacher Sue Thompson heads the event and Coach C says that he plans to continue his team’s participation “as long as she will have us.”

The volunteer effort caps the team’s pre-season work and helps them focus for the challenge ahead. “We give back on Thanksgiving, then put our heads down and work and compete like crazy. Hopefully when we look up again we are in the Tri Cities for the NWAAC tournament” explained Coach Chavka.